In practice, summer shading involves intentionally avoiding commitment or even ending relationships during the summer months when the weather is nice and people are more likely to travel or engage in other seasonal activities without being tied down.

While it may sound a little bit brutal, the term was coined by dating app Wingman after nearly 67% of its users admitted to having summer shaded someone in the past or have plans to put the person they are currently dating in the shade to ‘cool off’ during the height of the summer.

“The idea behind summer shading is that people might want to enjoy their freedom and have fun without any attachments during the summer. Then resume their serious relationships in the winter months when the weather starts to turn to autumn and people tend to stay in more,” Wingman founder Tina Wilson tells Stylist.

“The trend is partially influenced by people’s seasonal habitual routines, which date back hundreds of years. Essentially, as daters settle back into their routines come cooler weather, they also wish to settle back into comfortable and familiar situations and relationships, with the possibility of rekindling them once the season is over, right in time for ‘cuffing season’.”

Summer shading is the no-pressure dating trend rivalling cuffing season in 2023